Rowland-Smith is more than just a pretty arm

After watching his pitcher, Ryan Rowland-Smith, get two hits against the Colorado Rockies, Seattle catcher Jeff Clement couldn’t help but laugh.

”Don’t ever led anyone tell you hitting is tough after watching that display,” Clement said.

Clement could afford to laugh. For one thing, he had a hit and a walk and looked comfortable at the plate in a 10-5 Seattle victory that wasn’t that close. For another, Rowland-Smith was using Clement’s bat.

”Maybe I’ll have him sign it,” Clement laughed.

As for Rowland-Smith, he threw four innings, gave up five hits, two runs and didn’t walk anyone. It was a solid performance, but all anyone wanted to talk about was his two hits – all the more so because he hadn’t batted in a game in the better part of a decade

With manager Don Wakamatsu throwing BP, Rowland-Smith looked like a natural disaster. He couldn’t hit a thing, even with Wakamatsu grooving the ball to him. But in the second inning against Colorado left-hander Jason Marquis, Rowland-Smith single between shortstop and second base, shooting a grounder into left field.

Two innings later, the 26-year-old lined a single over shortstop. Not bad for someone whose last at-bat came for the Australian National Under-18 team in 2000.

”I was taking batting practice on the back field, and it was just terrible,” Rowland-Smith said. ”I was swinging and missing at everything.”

Wakamatsu was, to put it mildly, surprised.

”I would have bet my house he wouldn’t have gotten two hits,” Wakamatsu said. ”But he is an athlete.”